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IMDb > The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
The Day the Earth Stood Still
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The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 79 | slideshow) Videos (see all 5)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) -- Aliens land on Earth with an important message for its citizens. A remake of the classic 1951 sci-fi film directed by Robert Wise.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) -- An alien and a robot come to earth in this remake of a 1951 classic.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) -- This is the first trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still, directed by Scott Derrickson.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) -- Keanu Reeves stars in the remake of the classic science fiction film
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) -- Open-ended Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Overview

User Rating:
5.6/10   38,188 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Scott Derrickson
Writers (WGA):
David Scarpa (screenplay)
Edmund H. North (1951 screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Day the Earth Stood Still on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 December 2008 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller more
Tagline:
12.12.08 is the Day the Earth Stood Still
Plot:
A remake of the 1951 classic sci-fi film about an alien visitor and his giant robot counterpart who visit Earth. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(262 articles)
‘12 Rounds’ DVD Giveaway - Winners!
 (From Screen Rant. 3 July 2009, 8:15 PM, PDT)

Win ‘Push’ & ‘Knowing’ on Blu-ray
 (From Screen Rant. 29 June 2009, 6:24 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Not in the same Universe as the original more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
D.T.E.S.S. (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
The Day the Earth Stood Still: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some sci-fi disaster images and violence.
Runtime:
104 min
Country:
USA | Canada
Language:
English
Colour:
Colour
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Jaden Smith's dad Will Smith turned down the lead which became Keanu Reeves' for The Matrix (1999). more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Klaatu was bleeding from the wound on the right side of his chest, yet when he smeared the wound with medicine, it was on the left side. The first time, Klaatu was looking in a mirror. more
Quotes:
Helen Benson: National security? Well that just means whatever you want it to mean. more
Movie Connections:
References Halo 3 (2007) (VG) more

FAQ

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Is "The Day the Earth Stood Still" based on a book?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
147 out of 233 people found the following comment useful:-
Not in the same Universe as the original, 12 December 2008
4/10
Author: bluess-1 from United States

Probably the biggest letdown of my sci-fi viewing life. Even worse than the 3rd "Alien" movie. So many bad points that I can't remember them all. I'll touch on the lowlights.

First, as the unidentified object approached earth, everyone seemed dumb on the reason for the change in direction. Duh uh, like wouldn't a spacecraft immediately come to mind as a possibility?? Then the excitement and anticipation of a visible ship was taken away by clouds and fog and a vague vessel.

As stated elsewhere, the initial contact in the park was ended with Klatu getting shot for an offered handshake (no mysterious equipment popping open). And several times in the movie, there were vehicles, equipment and/or people more evenly spaced out (in large areas) than a marching band.

Rather than go over a scene by scene critique, the following complaints come to mind. 1)bad writing; all actors had trite and often repetitive lines. 2)The Secretary of State was scary, illogical, and didn't seem to be in much contact with the bosses(the President and VP). 3)Poor or no acting by the "Stars" and the kid. 4) choppy flow, frequently too slow or unclear. Weak continuity, scenes seemed to be just stuck together. 5) Gort was pathetic. Like the recent "Hulks", unconvincing CG and too big to realistically show it in contact with humans. (should have gotten Shaq for the part).... 6) No actor to actor chemistry ever formed. 7) The final scenes completely missed out on the dramas of the "standing still" time and the alien departure. What message did he leave us with?

Since I'm a poor typist and can't immediately recall all of my issues with the film, I'll end my comments by saying that I have no problem with changing a remake so that it is more up to date and offers some different twists to add interest. However, this film completely missed the mark of maintaining the strengths that the original script had, namely convincing acting with consistent story and character build-up leading to a dramatic final scene with a clear message to all of the world.

They could and should have done far far better.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
A terrible film remake....as usual. gwrjoe
Craptastic Hollywood Green Propaganda Movie jsenright
Goof on UAV junktom
What's the fuzz at the train station is all about? junktom
Some thIngs I'd like made clear to me. pthmichael
How come aliens only ever invade America? raskdog
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